Crown setting devices for timepieces are well known in the art. Usually, a timepiece movement, whether it be mechanical or a quartz analog type powered by an energy cell, has a separate internal set of gears connected between the hands and a special setting gear for rotating the timepiece hands to perform a setting function. The setting function, as is well known in the art, is generally carried out by manually operating a watch “crown” which protrudes from the side of the watch case. The crown is connected to an axially slideable, rotatable setting stem having a pinion on its inner end which engages the special setting gear when the crown is pulled out. The crown is knurled or corrugated with grooves to provide gripping teeth to assist in turning the crown. This can become a tedious process when the watch hands must be rotated through several revolutions and is also hard on the fingers when the crown is small in diameter.
Simple time-setting crowns having only two axial positions have evolved and been improved, wherein more than one crown may be used, one to set the time and another to set an alarm time. Also the setting crowns may be provided with more than two axial positions by the use of multiple detents, so as to engage a second internal set of gears to set calendar and/or day/date rings as well as the time of day.
As previously indicated, rotation of crown through many revolutions to set either the time or the alarm rings of the watch can be tiresome and hard on the fingers. In addition, if the crown is small in diameter, or closely set to the watch case, the crown may be difficult to access.
Thus there is a need for a crown setting device that overcomes the above listed and other disadvantages.